May ‘25 Wine Club Food Pairing Recipes

For every wine club selection, we love to offer food pairings that allow you to experience the wine at its fullest potential: alongside a great meal. These recipes were created, by Sally, to complement the unique character of each wine and to bring a restaurant-quality experience right into your home.

What we enjoy most each week is sitting down to a well-prepared meal with a wine we’ve hand-selected not only for its quality and value, but for its place at our own table—whether it’s a relaxed weeknight dinner or a weekend celebration. The true pleasure of what we do is sharing that same experience with you: food, wine, company, and the simple luxury of a well-balanced and thoughtful meal.

Plus, I never seem to run out of dinner ideas, and if this makes your life any easier with a few new dinner inspirations, then hell yeah! I worked in restaurants for many years and I love sharing that meal inspiration with our community.

Each wine has three meal options to choose from, with the intention of making the recipes uncomplicated and doable for every level of cooking skill.

May Drink Better Wine Club Food Pairing Recipes: 

Pairing Recipes: Contrada Salandra Campi Flegrei Falanghina 2020

Grilled Sea Bass with Lemon and Fennel

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 sea bass fillets
• 1 small fennel bulb, core removed and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh dill or fennel fronds for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Toss fennel slices with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
3. Brush sea bass fillets with remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Grill skin-side down for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes.
4. Place fish on serving platter. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over fish. Serve atop grilled fennel, garnished with lemon zest and fresh herbs. Serve with a side of your choice, like roasted or baked potato.

Zucchini and Ricotta Ravioli with Mint Butter

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Fresh pasta sheets or wonton wrappers
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 medium zucchini, finely grated and squeezed dry
• 1/2 a zested lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 4 tbsp butter
• Extra Parmesan for serving

Instructions

1. Mix ricotta, Parmesan, zucchini, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Place 1 tsp filling on each pasta sheet. Fold into ravioli and seal edges.
3. Boil ravioli in salted water for 2–3 minutes or until they float. Use a slotted spoon or sieve to gently drain.
4. In a pan, melt butter and add chopped mint. Toss ravioli in mint butter.
5. Serve with extra Parmesan and a few fresh mint leaves.

Fennel, Citrus, and Castelvetrano Olive Salad

Featuring Partanna Castelvetrano Olives & Leonardi Bianco White Balsamic Vinegar — available at Denver Wine Merchant

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced (reserve some fronds for garnish)
• 2 large oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds or half-moons or segments 
• 1 large ruby red grapefruit, peeled and sliced into rounds, half-moons or segments 
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly shaved
• 1/2 cup Partanna pitted Castelvetrano Olives, halved
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Leonardi Bianco White Balsamic Vinegar
• 10ish torn mint and basil leaves
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Pinch of dried oregano
• Flaky Maldon sea salt, for finishing
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine fennel, citrus segments, shaved red onion, and Castelvetrano olives.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and Leonardi white balsamic vinegar. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and oregano. Toss gently to combine.
3. Tear mint and basil leaves over the top and season with flaky salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Pairing Recipes: Domaine Pavelot Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 2021

Beef Tartare

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 12 oz high-quality beef tenderloin, finely diced
• 2 tbsp capers, chopped
• 4 small cornichons, finely chopped
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Toasted sourdough slices

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine beef, capers, cornichons, shallot, and parsley.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Add dressing to beef mixture and stir gently to combine.
4. Serve immediately with toasted baguette slices.

Savory Shallot and Thyme Tarte Tatin

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

• 8 large shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In an oven-safe skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots cut-side down; sprinkle with sugar, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until shallots begin to caramelize, about 10–12 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Drape puff pastry over shallots, tucking edges inside the pan.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until pastry is golden and crisp.
5. Let cool slightly, then invert onto a plate. Serve warm as a side or starter.

Roast Chicken with Chestnut and Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• softened butter
• Salt and pepper

For the stuffing:

• 1 cup cooked, peeled chestnuts (vacuum-packed works well)
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chicken stock

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Sauté onions and garlic in butter until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until golden.
3. Stir in chestnuts, thyme, breadcrumbs, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly.
4. Stuff chicken cavity loosely with mixture. Rub chicken skin with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest 10 minutes before carving.

Pairing Recipes: White Gate Wine Co. Syrah Barossa Valley 2022

Grilled Lamb Chops with Chimichurri

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 8 lamb rib chops
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Chimichurri:

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh (or dried) oregano, chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Season lamb with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Mix all chimichurri ingredients in a bowl; set aside.
3. Grill lamb over high heat, 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
4. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve with generous spoonfuls of chimichurri.

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Bison Burger with Blue Cheese and Garlic Aioli

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 lb ground bison
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 brioche buns, 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled (optional, I guess)

Garlic Aioli:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Slowly caramelize onions (25–30 minutes). Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes.
2. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to ground bison. Form into 4 patties. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill patties 3–4 minutes per side. Top with blue cheese during last minute.
4. Whisk aioli ingredients in small bowl.
5. Spread aioli on buns. Assemble burgers with mushroom-onion mix and patties.

Mediterranean Chickpea and Grilled Vegetable Bowl with Rosemary, Balsamic, Feta, and Olive Tapenade

(Featuring Divina Roasted Sweet Red Peppers & Arnaud Black Olive Tapenade—available at Denver Wine Merchant)

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise
• 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 cup Divina Roasted Sweet Red Peppers, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Arnaud Black Olive Tapenade
• 2 tbsp Leonardi balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

1. Toss eggplant and zucchini with olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Grill or roast at 425°F for 20 minutes. I recommend chopping there veggies to be roughly the same size after grilling.
2. Combine chickpeas, grilled vegetables, and Divina Roasted Sweet Red Peppers, Arnaud Black Olive Tapenade and garlic. Drizzle with balsamic; toss gently.
3. Sprinkle with feta. Add more chopped rosemary if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.